Convertible chair for fisherman &amp; campers

ABSTRACT

A plate-like base has a moulded chair seat mounted thereon for rotation about a vertical axis. Laterally spaced supports are mounted on the base to straddle a boat seat. Clamping bars are mounted on the base to secure the base and chair seat to a boat seat and the laterally spaced supports are provided with leg portions which adjust the length of the laterally spaced supports to engage the hull of the boat to provide added support for the chair seat.

United States Patent [191 Grounds et a1.

[ CONVERTIBLE CHAIR FOR FISHERMAN &

CAMPERS [76] Inventors: Harry C. Grounds, 477 S. Cretin,

' St. Paul, Minn. 55105; Eugene W.

Otto, 2415 Cuvell Ave. South, St.

Louis Park, Minn.

[22] Filed: June 4, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.: 366,787

52 us. Cl 9/7, 297/250, 297/349 [51] Int. Cl. 1363b 29/00 [58] Field of Search 9/7; 114/194; 297/232,

297/250, 252, 349; 248/1882, 59, 226 R, 226 B, 327; 24/263 R, 263 A, 263 FS, 263 P] [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,465,026 3/1949 Martz 297/349 X [451 July 30, 1974 2,712,347 7/1955 Cepull 297/252 2,993,254 7/1961 Larson 24/263 A 3,722,011 3/1973 Miller 248/1882 X Primary ExaminerLloy d L. King Assistant Examiner Randolph A. Reese Attorney, Age/1r, 0r FirmMerchant, Gould, Smith & Edell 57 ABSTRACT A plate-like base has a moulded chair seat mounted thereon for rotation about'a vertical axis. Laterally spaced supports are mounted on the base to straddle a boat seat. Clamping bars are mounted on the base to secure the base and chair seat to a boat seat and the laterally spaced supports are provided with leg portions which adjust the length of the laterally spaced supports to engage the hull of the boat to provide added support for the chair seat.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures CONVERTIBLE CHAIR FOR FISHERMAN & CAMPERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates generally to utility chairs for sportsmen and more specifically relates to a convertible chair for alternate use by campers on land or by fishermen on a boat.

The desirability of utility chairs for use by fishermen and campers has long been recognized by sportsmen and many designs incorporating various features particularly advantageous to the fisherman or camper have been produced by manufacturers to satisfy such desires. However, no utility chair has'been heretofore produced which can be successfully converted for use under all conditions by both fishermen and campers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is unique in that it provides a convertible 'chair which is equally adaptable for use by the fisherman and camper. In this respect, a rectangular plate-like base has a moulded plastic chair seat secured thereto for rotation on a vertical axis. Laterally spaced inverted U-shaped members and horizontal bases therefor are secured to upwardly formed laterally spaced flanges about opposite side edges of the base. Depending tubular legs of the U-shaped member each have leg portions telescopically received therein, the leg portions each including a universally pivotable foot member and being individually adjustable to adjust the regardless of the position of the chair seatlongitudi-' nally of the boat seat and boat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the views:

FIG. 1 is a transverse sectional view through a boat showing the convertible chair of the present invention in front elevation and mounted on the seat of the boat;

FIG. 2 is a view in vertical section as seen from the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the convertible chair in side elevation; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partially exploded perspective view of a portion of the convertible chair of FIGS. 1 and 2 portions thereof being broken away and shown in cross section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, a convertible chair for general use by sportsmen is indicated generally by the numeral 10. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the use of the convertible chair 10in conjunction with a conventional fishing boat A, only a transversely extendedseatll spaced from a hull portion 12 being fragmentarily shown. While the convertible Chair 10 is shown and described in use on a conventional fishing boat A, it will become apparent hereinafter that the chair 10 may be detached from the seat 11 and supported on other surfaces of an even or uneven character. As shown, the chair 10 includes a generally horizontally disposed base 13 and a chair seat 14. The chair seat 14 is formed from moulded plastic material such as polyethylene or other high impact type plastics and includes a horizontally disposed portion 15, a vertically disposed backrest portion 16 and laterally spaced connecting side portions 17 extending between the horizontally disposed portion 15 and backrest l6. Chair seat 14 is secured to the base 13 by means such as the telescoping pin and socket members 18, 19 mounted on he bottom surfaceof the chair seat 14 and upper surface of the base '13 respectively. The members 18, 19 are disposed generally centrally of the base 13. Base 13 is a rectangular plate-like member having a downwardly facing surface 20 which further includes upwardly formed laterally. spaced flanges 21. j

Laterally spaced support means for the base 13 and chair seat 14 include a pair of inverted U-shaped members 22. Each U-shaped member 22 has a horizontal central portion 23 and a leg 24 depending from each end of the horizontal central portion 23. The horizontal central portions 23 of the U-shaped members 22 are secured one to each one of the flanges 21 of the base 13 by means of a plurality of nut equipped carriage bolts 25.

Clamping means for securing the downwardly facing surface 20 of the base 13 in engagement with the upper surface of the boat seat 11 include a pair of clamping bars 28. Clamping bars 28 are positioned so the longi-. tudinal axis thereof extends in underlying relationship to and transversely of the boat seat 11 with one of the clamping bars 28 adjacent to each of the U-shaped members 22. Wing nut equipped threaded carriage bolts 29 extend through openings 30, 31, formed in the base13 and opposite ends of each of the clamping bars 28 respectively, to draw the clamping bars 28 and surface 20 of base 13 into clampingengagement with the boat seat 11. As seen in FIG. 1 the clamping bars 28 and bolts 29 function equally as well to clamp the chair 10 to relatively thick seats 11 (such as those equipped with flotation material) or relatively thin seats (such as those formed from boards or the like and indicated in dotted lines by the numeral 11a). When the chair 10 is secured to the seat 11, in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inverted U-shaped members 22 are positioned to straddle the seat 11, the flange 21 and horizontal central portions 23 serving to stiffen the base l3 against forces being appliedby the clamping bars 28, A plurality of horizontal brace'members 35 (one of which is secured to and extends between lower end portions of adjacentones of each of the tubular legs 24) are provided to impart rigidity to the support means for the chair l0. Opposed ones 35a of the base members 35 which extend between the legs 24 of each of the U-shaped members 22 are detachably secure by nut equipped bolts 36 to permit mounting of the chair 10 with the legs 24 of the U-shaped members 22 straddling the seat 11.

Means for adjusting the length of the support means or Ushaped members 22 to engage the hull 12 of the boat A and provide added'support to the chair 10 infclude a leg portion 38v telescopically received in each of the tubular legs 24. Each leg portion 38 has a lower extended end which mounts a foot member 39 for universal pivotal movements. A set screw 40 is threadedly engaged in-eachof the legs 24 to engage and limit telel to be located at any position longitudinally of the seat 1 1, or at any one of a plurality of seats 11 positioned longitudinally of a boat AQsince the leg portions 38 and foot members 39 can compensate for the particular inclinationof the hull 12.

When the chair is to be alternately used as a fishing chair on land or as a camping chair at a campsite it is removed from the boat A by removing the horizontal brace members 351; and clamping bars 28. The leg portions 38 are thereafter readjusted to conform to the particular terrain on which the chair is to be used. We claim: f V j I 1. A convertible chair for use in boats having a transversely extended seat spaced above the hull of'the boat, said convertible chair comprising: Y

a. a horizontally disposed basehaving a downwardly facing surface;

b. a chair seat;

c. means securing said chair seat to said base;

d. support means spaced laterally for straddling of 3. Thestructure of claim 1v wherein. said support means'includes a pair of two laterally spaced inverted U-shaped members, each U-shaped member having a horizontal central portion and a leg depending from each end of said horizontal central portion, and

wherein said base isa' rectangular plate-like member having an upwardly formed stiffening flange extended along each side edge thereof, each flange being secured to said horizontal central portion of an adjacent inverted U-shaped member; 4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said legs depending from each end of said horizontal central portions the transversely extended boatseat, said support means including at least three leg portions; e. means mountingsaid base on said support means;

leg portion are tubular and'a leg portion having a lower extended end is telescopically received in each of said tubular legs; each of said leg portions including a foot member mounted on said. lower extended end for universal pivotal movements and wherein a set screw is threadedly engaged in each of said tubular legs for limiting telescopic movements of a respective leg portionrelative thereto. u w

5. The structure of claim 4-wherein said laterally spaced support means further includes a plurality of horizontally disposed brace members, one of said'brace members being secured to and extended lower end portions of adjacent ones of each of said tubularlegs, opposed ones of said brace members which extend between the tubular legs of each inverted U-shaped memher being detachablysecured to a respective inverted U-shaped member whereby said inverted U-shaped members maybe positioned to straddle the boat seat and engage the hullof the boat.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein said clamping meansincludes a horizontally disposed longitudinally extended clamping bar having a longitudinal axis extending in underlying relationship to and transversely of the boat seat and means mounting said clamping bar for'clamping movements with respect to said base, said means mounting said clamping bar including nut- 2. Thestructure of claim' 1 wherein said chairseat is rotatably secured to said base for rotation on a vertical axis andwherein said means securing said chair seat to 40 to provide addedsups 7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said clampingmeans includes a pair of 'said clamping bars, said clamping bars being disposed tof'extend in underlying ture. 

1. A convertible chair for use in boats having a transversely extended seat spaced above the hull of the boat, said convertible chair comprising: a. a horizontally disposed base having a downwardly facing surface; b. a chair seat; c. means securing said chair seat to said base; d. support means spaced laterally for straddling of the transversely extended boat seat, said support means including at least three leg portions; e. means mounting said base on said support means; f. clamping means for securing said downwardly facing surface of said base in engagement with the transversely extending boat seat to support said chair on the boat seat; and g. means for adjusting the length of each leg portion to engage the hull of the boat to provide added support for the chair.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said chair seat is rotatably secured to said base for rotation on a vertical axis and wherein said means securing said chair seat to said base includes cooperating telescoping pin and socket members mounted on said base and chair seat.
 3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said support means includes a pair of two laterally spaced inverted U-shaped members, each U-shaped member having a horizontal central portion and a leg depending from each end of said horizontal central portion, and wherein said base is a rectangular plate-like member having an upwardly formed stiffening flange extended along each side edge thereof, each flange being secured to said horizontal central portion of an adjacent inverted U-shaped member.
 4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said legs depending from each end of said horizontal central portions are tubular and a leg portion having a lower extended end is telescopically received in each of said tubular legs, each of said leg portions including a foot member mounted on said lower extended end for universal pivotal movements and wherein a set screw is threadedly engaged in each of said tubular legs for limiting telescopic movements of a respective leg portion relative thereto.
 5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said laterally spaced support means further includes a plurality of horizontally disposed brace members, one of said brace members being secured to and extended lower end portions of adjacent ones of each of said tubular legs, opposed ones of said brace members which extend between the tubular legs of each inverted U-shaped member being detachably secured to a respective inverted U-shaped member whereby said inverted U-shaped members may be positioned to straddle the boat seat and engage the hull of the boat.
 6. The structure of claim 4 wherein said clamping means includes a horizontally disposed longitudinally extended clamping bar having a longitudinal axis extending in underlying relationship to and transversely of the boat seat and means mounting said clamping bar for clamping movements with respect to said base, said means mounting said clamping bar including nut-equipped threaded bolts extended through said base and each end of said clamping bar.
 7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said clamping means includes a pair of said clamping bars, said clamping bars being disposed to extend in underlying relationship to and transversely of the bOat seat with one thereof adjacent each U-shaped supporting structure. 